Episode 36: Staying Hopeful When Life Gets Heavy with Josh Turner & Stella Lefty

What does it take to stay hopeful when life gets heavy? In this episode, we sit down with one of country music's most beloved voices, Josh Turner, and rising star Stella Lefty for an honest conversation about faith, resilience, and the power of a song.

Josh opens up about the woman who shaped him most: his grandmother. With a fourth grade education, six children, and a battle with breast cancer, she had every reason to complain, yet she never did. Instead, she filled her days with music, cooking, and her Bible. Her example taught Josh a lesson he still lives by: we can't always control our circumstances, but we can control our attitude. He also shares why a vacation doesn't always quiet a busy mind, why gratitude matters, and how the "stubborn" streak he was known for as a kid became conviction about what matters most. Josh reflects on never forgetting where he came from, accepting that you can't please everyone, and the humbling truth that he may never know how many lives his music has touched.

Stella shares her journey from writing songs alone in her bedroom to finding her place in the industry, and how she had to rediscover her own sound after hearing so many outside opinions. She talks about the importance of surrounding yourself with people who offer honest, positive encouragement, and the early industry disappointment that devastated her at the time but led her to her publisher and her closest friends in LA. For someone who was never told music was an option, her story is a reminder to trust the gifts you've been given.

Whether you're walking through a hard season or simply need a lift, this conversation is a reminder that hope, gratitude, and the right people around you can carry you further than you think.